(1) "Your phone is the new Jumbotron." That was my pithy add to the OnDeck West conference in San Francisco this week. I interviewed Pac-12 commish Larry Scott to open the conference yesterday. It was a ton of fun -- thanks to the OnDeck folks for having me. Met a ton of great people and found myself thinking of a lot of great ideas.
(2) Ohio State over Mizzou? Really? My USA TODAY Sports colleagues have picked the latest "if the season ended today" college football playoff of Alabama, Oregon, FSU and Ohio State. I cannot understand how anyone can look at Ohio State's resume and rank them ahead of Missouri. This is the farcical side of the playoff system.
(3) Cardinals in 7.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
10/14 Throwback Quickie
10 years ago today: The Bartman moment, one of the most indelible in baseball history.
Here is what I wrote the morning after, in the Daily Quickie -- note that "Steve Bartman" wasn't yet known as the name:
Then I had an item asking if Alex Gonzalez was the new Bill Buckner:
10 years later, Gonzalez's role in the debacle is still vastly underrated.
Yeesh: Whenever I read back through an old Quickie -- especially something from that first year or two -- I am reminded how tight I wrote, as compared to now. I got worse as I took more space....
Also: 10 years later, the Quickie is so mobile-friendly -- a decade ahead of its time, I guees.
-- D.S.
Here is what I wrote the morning after, in the Daily Quickie -- note that "Steve Bartman" wasn't yet known as the name:
Two Words For You:
BLAME. GAME.
He will forever be known as "That Fan," short for "That Fan Who [Nearly/Totally (TBD)] Cost The Cubs The World Series".
That Fan is an obvious (and worthy) scapegoat, but let's spread the responsibility around: Dusty, Gonzalez, the radio announcers, Prior, Farnsworth, Derrek Lee, the headset manufacturer, Pudge, Beckett, the masses on Waveland, Dick Jauron, Ernie Banks, Andre Dawson, the fans sitting around That Fan, Paris Hilton, Bernie Mac, Harry Carey's ghost, the media.
Whether the city has a complete meltdown depends on how Game 7 plays out tonight (understanding that Kerry Wood is as hot as they come right now, but on the flip side, so was Prior):
If the Cubs win:
All is forgiven ...
If they lose:
Yikes ....
Then I had an item asking if Alex Gonzalez was the new Bill Buckner:
Lost under the "That Fan" pile-on is Alex Gonzalez's Bobble -- this generation's Leon Durham moment, improbably from a shortstop who led the NL in fielding percentage.
What irony in his trendy name-shortening: "A-Gon." Because his error? Pure "AGony."
Rally-kindling instead of rally-killing: The Bobble doesn't quite rise to the mythic level of Buckner-esque proportions, but That Fan was merely guilty of amateurish behavior; what's the pro's excuse?
10 years later, Gonzalez's role in the debacle is still vastly underrated.
Yeesh: Whenever I read back through an old Quickie -- especially something from that first year or two -- I am reminded how tight I wrote, as compared to now. I got worse as I took more space....
Also: 10 years later, the Quickie is so mobile-friendly -- a decade ahead of its time, I guees.
-- D.S.
Monday, September 30, 2013
09/30 Anniversary Quickie
10 years ago today, I proposed to Mrs. Quickie.
If you've never read it, the (nominally zany) origin story was published on The Awl at the end of 2010.
Takeaway: I'm very lucky.
-- D.S.
If you've never read it, the (nominally zany) origin story was published on The Awl at the end of 2010.
Takeaway: I'm very lucky.
-- D.S.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
9/29 Sunday Quickie
With Lane Kiffin getting fired, it was always "when," not "if." Is USC still a great job? Yes.
Getting ready for a great Week 4 for The Q. Please pop by this afternoon to keep up with the best takes on the biggest storylines of the day (and there are plenty).
Meanwhile, off yesterday's day in college football, I am participating in a very cool USA TODAY Sports panel that is picking a "if-the-season-ended-today-and-the-playoff-was-in-place" four-team bracket.
After yesterday, mine is (1) Georgia, (2) Alabama, (3) Clemson, (4) Texas A&M. Georgia's win over a very good LSU team was so wildly entertaining and impressive that the combination of UGA's wins over LSU and South Carolina -- plus taking Clemson to the edge at Clemson in a toss-up first week of the season -- makes Georgia the clear-cut No. 1 team for me.
My explanation to my panel colleagues:
The whole point of the expanded playoff is that we are supposed to get beyond "and-oh" superficialities and reward the teams with the best resume — who did you play, who did you beat and what was the context?
This week, it is baffling that anyone could put any team but Georgia at No. 1. Where Oregon and Ohio State have yet to play anyone great, UGA has now beaten TWO superb teams and taken a third, on the road, right up to the edge. Their resume right now is so vastly superior to that of Oregon or Ohio State — or any other team that is "unbeaten" -- that if you don't have them ranked No. 1, it is hard for me to believe you are taking the new playoff process seriously, versus just propagating the legacy system of "Oh, your record is so sparkly!"
By the time Oregon and Ohio State finish their ENTIRE schedules, they won't have played as many tough games combined as Georgia has played before the end of September. If resumes matter, then Oregon and Ohio State don't.
-- D.S.
Getting ready for a great Week 4 for The Q. Please pop by this afternoon to keep up with the best takes on the biggest storylines of the day (and there are plenty).
Meanwhile, off yesterday's day in college football, I am participating in a very cool USA TODAY Sports panel that is picking a "if-the-season-ended-today-and-the-playoff-was-in-place" four-team bracket.
After yesterday, mine is (1) Georgia, (2) Alabama, (3) Clemson, (4) Texas A&M. Georgia's win over a very good LSU team was so wildly entertaining and impressive that the combination of UGA's wins over LSU and South Carolina -- plus taking Clemson to the edge at Clemson in a toss-up first week of the season -- makes Georgia the clear-cut No. 1 team for me.
My explanation to my panel colleagues:
The whole point of the expanded playoff is that we are supposed to get beyond "and-oh" superficialities and reward the teams with the best resume — who did you play, who did you beat and what was the context?
This week, it is baffling that anyone could put any team but Georgia at No. 1. Where Oregon and Ohio State have yet to play anyone great, UGA has now beaten TWO superb teams and taken a third, on the road, right up to the edge. Their resume right now is so vastly superior to that of Oregon or Ohio State — or any other team that is "unbeaten" -- that if you don't have them ranked No. 1, it is hard for me to believe you are taking the new playoff process seriously, versus just propagating the legacy system of "Oh, your record is so sparkly!"
By the time Oregon and Ohio State finish their ENTIRE schedules, they won't have played as many tough games combined as Georgia has played before the end of September. If resumes matter, then Oregon and Ohio State don't.
-- D.S.
Friday, September 27, 2013
9/27 Mariano Quickie
Another week flies by working with the amazing Q team. Please give it a look -- and come back! (And tell friends!)
Inspired by Jim Delany (of all people), I put this together yesterday, a regular refrain from me: Do people realize the massive opportunity that would come from combining college football's compensation problem and the NFL's age-limit problem? Huge.
Anway, the real thing I wanted to say is that I cannot think of an athlete -- in this era of "Trolling Wins" and "Contrarianism Rules" -- who has more universal appreciation than Mariano Rivera. All the best to one of the all-time greats, in any sport. If you are any age from 25-65, he has loomed as large as anyone -- but done it without much fanfare, beyond the awesomeness we can all see for ourselves. The ultimate "show, don't tell."
College football look-ahead:
*When LSU beats Georgia, they'll deserve to be in that mythical "football four" playoff group. And if Georgia beats LSU, they'll deserve to be No. 1, even with the loss at Clemson. LSU will win.
*I want Wisconsin to beat Ohio State, but it's not going to happen, setting up an incredible match-up next Saturday night in Evanston.
*Notre Dame is going to get exposed by Oklahoma in South Bend. No weirdness like last year.
*Ole Miss will keep it interesting for, say, three quarters. Then it'll be all Bama.
*So Florida lost its QB and its most disruptive defensive presence, all in the same week. It's a good thing it's Kentucky. (Famous last words...)
Enjoy your weekend. Check out The Q!
Inspired by Jim Delany (of all people), I put this together yesterday, a regular refrain from me: Do people realize the massive opportunity that would come from combining college football's compensation problem and the NFL's age-limit problem? Huge.
Anway, the real thing I wanted to say is that I cannot think of an athlete -- in this era of "Trolling Wins" and "Contrarianism Rules" -- who has more universal appreciation than Mariano Rivera. All the best to one of the all-time greats, in any sport. If you are any age from 25-65, he has loomed as large as anyone -- but done it without much fanfare, beyond the awesomeness we can all see for ourselves. The ultimate "show, don't tell."
College football look-ahead:
*When LSU beats Georgia, they'll deserve to be in that mythical "football four" playoff group. And if Georgia beats LSU, they'll deserve to be No. 1, even with the loss at Clemson. LSU will win.
*I want Wisconsin to beat Ohio State, but it's not going to happen, setting up an incredible match-up next Saturday night in Evanston.
*Notre Dame is going to get exposed by Oklahoma in South Bend. No weirdness like last year.
*Ole Miss will keep it interesting for, say, three quarters. Then it'll be all Bama.
*So Florida lost its QB and its most disruptive defensive presence, all in the same week. It's a good thing it's Kentucky. (Famous last words...)
Enjoy your weekend. Check out The Q!
Friday, September 20, 2013
9/20 Weekend Quickie
Another week, another week I haven't updated the blog -- I'm immersed in The Q. Hope you've had a chance to check it out.
Learned a ton this week, just like we learned a ton last week.
Had great coverage of the Trent Richardson trade -- in the first half-hour afterward, I'd put our coverage up against anyone's.
Increased our output of posts and refined how we manage the stream, both really good developments.
Added a new talent -- FTW's Nate Scott, who was my partner-in-crime on USA TODAY's Ad Meter project last winter, and who is just a brilliant, congenial person to work with.
My goal is to make huge strides week-over-week -- mostly in how we're executing. The audience and revenue will take care of itself (as it already is).
Brief college football tailgate:
My if-the-season-ended-today playoff field: Alabama, Georgia, A&M, Clemson.
Check out the full file here, from the entire playoff panel. In the absence of my beloved BlogPoll, this has been a wonderful outlet.
As for this weekend's games:
Clemson might have locked in a spot next week with the win last night at NC State -- but it wasn't that impressive and being the 4th seed means it's a tenuous spot. Who might take them out? No one -- this week's games are really really mediocre. (Stanford, who plays Arizona State? Hell, ASU should have a loss from Wisconsin right now, and I'll grade them out as such.)
With zero upsets on tap, the only game that really matters is Kansas State-Texas, if only to see what happens when Texas loses AGAIN.
Enjoy your weekend. Visit The Q!
-- D.S.
Learned a ton this week, just like we learned a ton last week.
Had great coverage of the Trent Richardson trade -- in the first half-hour afterward, I'd put our coverage up against anyone's.
Increased our output of posts and refined how we manage the stream, both really good developments.
Added a new talent -- FTW's Nate Scott, who was my partner-in-crime on USA TODAY's Ad Meter project last winter, and who is just a brilliant, congenial person to work with.
My goal is to make huge strides week-over-week -- mostly in how we're executing. The audience and revenue will take care of itself (as it already is).
Brief college football tailgate:
My if-the-season-ended-today playoff field: Alabama, Georgia, A&M, Clemson.
Check out the full file here, from the entire playoff panel. In the absence of my beloved BlogPoll, this has been a wonderful outlet.
As for this weekend's games:
Clemson might have locked in a spot next week with the win last night at NC State -- but it wasn't that impressive and being the 4th seed means it's a tenuous spot. Who might take them out? No one -- this week's games are really really mediocre. (Stanford, who plays Arizona State? Hell, ASU should have a loss from Wisconsin right now, and I'll grade them out as such.)
With zero upsets on tap, the only game that really matters is Kansas State-Texas, if only to see what happens when Texas loses AGAIN.
Enjoy your weekend. Visit The Q!
-- D.S.
Friday, September 13, 2013
9/13 Quickie: Introducing The Q
How busy has it been this week?
So busy that I haven't even been able to get to my own blog to announce the launch -- last Sunday -- of a brand-new product I have been a part of creating: The Q.
You can find it at q.usatoday.com.
The value proposition and format should feel familiar to you, although the initial scope of coverage is all NFL, all the time. (For now. Cough.)
But there are some big differences from anything you might think this resembles, aside from the all-NFL focus:
*It is built not just "mobile first," but really with the mobile audience as the only one in mind. Oh, you absolutely can (and should!) check it out on your work computer during the weekdays. It will look great (and even have a few desktop-only enhancements). But the thing is really geared for consumption on the phone (so feel free to check it out on your phone at work, in addition to at home, on the go, etc.)
*There is a great team of editors, producers, developers, designers and talent working on it. I'm a bauble. The real key is the core editorial team, plus the amazing developers and designers and USA TODAY Sports staff working on it.
*You really do need to check it out, because it represents the next stage in an evolution I have been working on since the Daily Quickie launched 10 years ago, through Quickish and now The Q. There are some amazing implications for sports fans and the media industry baked into it, which I'll get into over the next few months. I'm really excited for it.
So please: Check it out. Give it a try. Tell your friends, co-workers and folks in your social network(s). It needs all the support it can get, and you're a huge part of that, as you have been all the way from the start, all those years ago.
Huge thanks for your patience here and elsewhere as I have put so much time and energy into working on it.
Enjoy your weekend. I think Alabama wins, but I don't feel particularly strongly about that. If anyone can foil Nick Saban two years in a row, it's Kevin Sumlin and Johnny Manziel.
-- D.S.
So busy that I haven't even been able to get to my own blog to announce the launch -- last Sunday -- of a brand-new product I have been a part of creating: The Q.
You can find it at q.usatoday.com.
The value proposition and format should feel familiar to you, although the initial scope of coverage is all NFL, all the time. (For now. Cough.)
But there are some big differences from anything you might think this resembles, aside from the all-NFL focus:
*It is built not just "mobile first," but really with the mobile audience as the only one in mind. Oh, you absolutely can (and should!) check it out on your work computer during the weekdays. It will look great (and even have a few desktop-only enhancements). But the thing is really geared for consumption on the phone (so feel free to check it out on your phone at work, in addition to at home, on the go, etc.)
*There is a great team of editors, producers, developers, designers and talent working on it. I'm a bauble. The real key is the core editorial team, plus the amazing developers and designers and USA TODAY Sports staff working on it.
*You really do need to check it out, because it represents the next stage in an evolution I have been working on since the Daily Quickie launched 10 years ago, through Quickish and now The Q. There are some amazing implications for sports fans and the media industry baked into it, which I'll get into over the next few months. I'm really excited for it.
So please: Check it out. Give it a try. Tell your friends, co-workers and folks in your social network(s). It needs all the support it can get, and you're a huge part of that, as you have been all the way from the start, all those years ago.
Huge thanks for your patience here and elsewhere as I have put so much time and energy into working on it.
Enjoy your weekend. I think Alabama wins, but I don't feel particularly strongly about that. If anyone can foil Nick Saban two years in a row, it's Kevin Sumlin and Johnny Manziel.
-- D.S.
Friday, September 06, 2013
09/06 (It's a New Day) Quickie
The NFL season hasn't even started yet and it has already gotten its signature performance from Peyton Manning...
Anyway, things have been busy the past few months. For those who email asking "Man, what happened to Quickish?" it's a fair question.
The answer is that I have been working on a new USA TODAY Sports product that you will get a sneak preview of on Sunday afternoon, if you go to USATODAY.com.
It's not a secret (heck, I advertised for help!) It's a new quick-hit, quick-twitch platform that, at least to start, will focus on the NFL.
It is not Quickish or Quickish 2.0, although it would be nuts not to use the lessons from Quickish in building something new that represents an evolution in a space I have spent a lot of time in: Quick-hit, real-time(-ish) topical news delivery and consumption.
We have some talented folks on board to make it happen day to day, moment to moment -- if nothing else, there's your clear differentiation from Quickish -- and I'm really excited for fans to try it.
It's not the end of Quickish.com -- I'm thinking about ways to pivot the platform and the value proposition to make it relevant (and sustainable, given that it would just be me working on it).
But it is the start of something new and really cool. Please come by USATODAY.com on Sunday afternoon to get a preview, then use it constantly after that. Please immediately save it to your mobile home screen. Please tell your friends!
Can't wait for you to check it out.
Meanwhile, can't ignore tomorrow's college football schedule and a few picks:
Georgia over South Carolina.
Florida over Miami.
Michigan over Notre Dame.
Upset alert: Western Kentucky over Tennessee.
-- D.S.
Anyway, things have been busy the past few months. For those who email asking "Man, what happened to Quickish?" it's a fair question.
The answer is that I have been working on a new USA TODAY Sports product that you will get a sneak preview of on Sunday afternoon, if you go to USATODAY.com.
It's not a secret (heck, I advertised for help!) It's a new quick-hit, quick-twitch platform that, at least to start, will focus on the NFL.
It is not Quickish or Quickish 2.0, although it would be nuts not to use the lessons from Quickish in building something new that represents an evolution in a space I have spent a lot of time in: Quick-hit, real-time(-ish) topical news delivery and consumption.
We have some talented folks on board to make it happen day to day, moment to moment -- if nothing else, there's your clear differentiation from Quickish -- and I'm really excited for fans to try it.
It's not the end of Quickish.com -- I'm thinking about ways to pivot the platform and the value proposition to make it relevant (and sustainable, given that it would just be me working on it).
But it is the start of something new and really cool. Please come by USATODAY.com on Sunday afternoon to get a preview, then use it constantly after that. Please immediately save it to your mobile home screen. Please tell your friends!
Can't wait for you to check it out.
Meanwhile, can't ignore tomorrow's college football schedule and a few picks:
Georgia over South Carolina.
Florida over Miami.
Michigan over Notre Dame.
Upset alert: Western Kentucky over Tennessee.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, September 03, 2013
9/3 (Tuesday) Quickie
Today's Name to Know: Jameis Winston. "Jameis Football," amirite?
Today's REAL Name to Know: Diana Nyad.
Terrelle Pryor: Has a player from the "Supplemental Draft" ever ended up a starting QB in Week 1?
Roger Federer: Is this what the end looks like? Hope you appreciated him while he was at the top.
Tim Tebow: Will he end up on the Patriots at some point this season? Oh, why not: I'll say "Yes."
-- D.S.
Today's REAL Name to Know: Diana Nyad.
Terrelle Pryor: Has a player from the "Supplemental Draft" ever ended up a starting QB in Week 1?
Roger Federer: Is this what the end looks like? Hope you appreciated him while he was at the top.
Tim Tebow: Will he end up on the Patriots at some point this season? Oh, why not: I'll say "Yes."
-- D.S.
Sunday, September 01, 2013
9/1 (CFB Hangover) Quickie
*I'm totally fine with "Johnny being Johnny." It's who he is and good for the sport. You can dislike him for it, but isn't that part of the fun?
*The "making money" hand gesture (by Manziel and Tajh Boyd, among others) should be THE move in college football this year. Not that this is Manziel's intent, but nothing captures the absurdity of college football's unpaid system of amateurism like the subtle signal. By next week, it will draw a penalty, of course.
*Speaking of Boyd, he was on my Top 5 preseason Heisman list, and I'm totally comfortable with that. Huge win for Clemson, which will only make their perennial mystifying loss all the more baffling.
*Your win of the week: Eastern Washington over Oregon State, which was even better than North Dakota State's win over Kansas State. FCS!
*Florida isn't flashy, but I was happy with how solid they looked in a season opener that typically displays some creakiness. Playing without their RB1 or CB1, they stifled a solid Toledo team.
*Did Northwestern have its defensive players lay down in order to slow down Cal's up-tempo offense, which was leading the team to a late-night upset win? Maybe? Possibly? (Probably?) But that move is a strategic advantage to be exploited. Sanctimony over it is for fans who are winless.
*Very solid win by LSU over TCU -- given the opponent, arguably the fourth most-impressive win of the day (behind Clemson beating Georgia, EWU over Oregon State and Washington clocking Boise State). Alabama is up there, too. Don't let the yardage output fool you.
*Five top-ranked teams I don't know enough about yet, despite gaudy outcomes yesterday: Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, Notre Dame.
*Looking ahead to next week: South Carolina at Georgia, Notre Dame at Michigan, Florida at Miami (Upset special: Western Kentucky over Tennessee in Knoxville.)
*Great read by my colleague Paul Myerberg, who had all-access to ESPN's College Gameday crew.
*If I had a Top 25 ballot, I'd rank Clemson at No. 1 (resume-ranking FTW), followed by Alabama, LSU, Eastern Washington and Washington.
*The "making money" hand gesture (by Manziel and Tajh Boyd, among others) should be THE move in college football this year. Not that this is Manziel's intent, but nothing captures the absurdity of college football's unpaid system of amateurism like the subtle signal. By next week, it will draw a penalty, of course.
*Speaking of Boyd, he was on my Top 5 preseason Heisman list, and I'm totally comfortable with that. Huge win for Clemson, which will only make their perennial mystifying loss all the more baffling.
*Your win of the week: Eastern Washington over Oregon State, which was even better than North Dakota State's win over Kansas State. FCS!
*Florida isn't flashy, but I was happy with how solid they looked in a season opener that typically displays some creakiness. Playing without their RB1 or CB1, they stifled a solid Toledo team.
*Did Northwestern have its defensive players lay down in order to slow down Cal's up-tempo offense, which was leading the team to a late-night upset win? Maybe? Possibly? (Probably?) But that move is a strategic advantage to be exploited. Sanctimony over it is for fans who are winless.
*Very solid win by LSU over TCU -- given the opponent, arguably the fourth most-impressive win of the day (behind Clemson beating Georgia, EWU over Oregon State and Washington clocking Boise State). Alabama is up there, too. Don't let the yardage output fool you.
*Five top-ranked teams I don't know enough about yet, despite gaudy outcomes yesterday: Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, Notre Dame.
*Looking ahead to next week: South Carolina at Georgia, Notre Dame at Michigan, Florida at Miami (Upset special: Western Kentucky over Tennessee in Knoxville.)
*Great read by my colleague Paul Myerberg, who had all-access to ESPN's College Gameday crew.
*If I had a Top 25 ballot, I'd rank Clemson at No. 1 (resume-ranking FTW), followed by Alabama, LSU, Eastern Washington and Washington.
Friday, August 30, 2013
08/30 (It's Fall) Quickie
*Ole Miss' win over Vandy was as entertaining as you could hope for on a CFB opening night.
*The late illegal block on Jadeveon Clowney is Exhibit A why he should immediately drop out of college and wait for the NFL Draft, where he is guaranteed to be the No. 1 pick -- unless some renegade opposing player takes out his knee.
*So excited for the opening weekend. Viewing guide:
Noon-ish: Toledo at Florida (ESPN3). Trap game? Trap game.
3:30-ish: Miss St at OK St (ABC) + 5:30: Alabama-Va Tech (ESPN).
8-ish: Georgia-Clemson on ABC (check LSU-TCU at 9 on ESPN).
10:30: Northwestern at Cal (ESPN2). Late night, friends.
Key picks: Clemson. LSU. (Upset watch: Toledo. Gah!)
Want a great CFB read to get you ready for the season?
Spencer Hall on Vandy O-line coach Herb Hand.
This from Grantland's Bill Barnwell covers my feelings on the NFL brain-injury settlement.
-- D.S.
*The late illegal block on Jadeveon Clowney is Exhibit A why he should immediately drop out of college and wait for the NFL Draft, where he is guaranteed to be the No. 1 pick -- unless some renegade opposing player takes out his knee.
*So excited for the opening weekend. Viewing guide:
Noon-ish: Toledo at Florida (ESPN3). Trap game? Trap game.
3:30-ish: Miss St at OK St (ABC) + 5:30: Alabama-Va Tech (ESPN).
8-ish: Georgia-Clemson on ABC (check LSU-TCU at 9 on ESPN).
10:30: Northwestern at Cal (ESPN2). Late night, friends.
Key picks: Clemson. LSU. (Upset watch: Toledo. Gah!)
Want a great CFB read to get you ready for the season?
Spencer Hall on Vandy O-line coach Herb Hand.
This from Grantland's Bill Barnwell covers my feelings on the NFL brain-injury settlement.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
8/28 (CFB) Quickie
I love college football. Full stop.
Thursday night marks the start of the season, so I figured I might as well wedge in a few predictions:
*The South Carolina opener will feature my pick as the Heisman winner -- Jadeveon Clowney, the first one-way defensive player to win the award of the modern era.
The question isn't whether he is the best player in college football -- I would argue he is probably the best defensive player in the history of college football. The question is whether voters will reward that. I'm betting they want to make history as much as they recognize they are watching history.
*Alabama will win the national title -- again (again) (again again).
*That said, the perfect way to cap off the ridiculous BCS era would be if a one-loss SEC champ was shut out of the national-title game because two unbeaten teams (say, Ohio State and the Pac-12 champ) went unbeaten facing inferior schedules.
*Because starting next year, the national title game will perennially be between the two SEC teams that make the playoff foursome -- and there will be two SEC teams in the playoff foursome, perennially -- and that'll be that (until they change the system to force the two SEC teams to play each other in the semifinal, probably for the second time in a season.)
*The Tide will obliterate unbeaten Ohio State in the national title game, because (1) that's what the SEC does to Ohio State in national title games, and (2) that's what Nick Saban does to Urban Meyer. I loathe Ohio State as much as any team in the country, so I hope I'm pleasantly surprised and Alabama plays, say, unbeaten Stanford.
*Louisville will go unbeaten -- sublime QB Teddy Bridgewater will finish as runner-up in Heisman voting -- but merely return to a lower-tier BCS bowl, before Charlie Strong leaves to become the new head coach at Nebraska.
*In the opening week, I know I should be taking Georgia over Clemson, but I'm a sucker for Boyd, so I'll take Clemson over Georgia in the Game of the Week. Clemson's typical collapse will come later in the season against a seemingly overmatched foe, as usual.
*What I read last night, college football edition: Warren St. John's profile of Nick Saban in GQ.
-- D.S.
Thursday night marks the start of the season, so I figured I might as well wedge in a few predictions:
*The South Carolina opener will feature my pick as the Heisman winner -- Jadeveon Clowney, the first one-way defensive player to win the award of the modern era.
The question isn't whether he is the best player in college football -- I would argue he is probably the best defensive player in the history of college football. The question is whether voters will reward that. I'm betting they want to make history as much as they recognize they are watching history.
*Alabama will win the national title -- again (again) (again again).
*That said, the perfect way to cap off the ridiculous BCS era would be if a one-loss SEC champ was shut out of the national-title game because two unbeaten teams (say, Ohio State and the Pac-12 champ) went unbeaten facing inferior schedules.
*Because starting next year, the national title game will perennially be between the two SEC teams that make the playoff foursome -- and there will be two SEC teams in the playoff foursome, perennially -- and that'll be that (until they change the system to force the two SEC teams to play each other in the semifinal, probably for the second time in a season.)
*The Tide will obliterate unbeaten Ohio State in the national title game, because (1) that's what the SEC does to Ohio State in national title games, and (2) that's what Nick Saban does to Urban Meyer. I loathe Ohio State as much as any team in the country, so I hope I'm pleasantly surprised and Alabama plays, say, unbeaten Stanford.
*Louisville will go unbeaten -- sublime QB Teddy Bridgewater will finish as runner-up in Heisman voting -- but merely return to a lower-tier BCS bowl, before Charlie Strong leaves to become the new head coach at Nebraska.
*In the opening week, I know I should be taking Georgia over Clemson, but I'm a sucker for Boyd, so I'll take Clemson over Georgia in the Game of the Week. Clemson's typical collapse will come later in the season against a seemingly overmatched foe, as usual.
*What I read last night, college football edition: Warren St. John's profile of Nick Saban in GQ.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
8/27 (Tuesday) Quickie
*Matt Harvey's injury is a reminder about the vagaries of pitcher health. And, wow, do I feel bad for Mets fans.
*Is Jeff Tuel -- with a leap unseen in the past half-century from undrafted rookie to Week 1 starting QB in Buffalo -- the best storyline of NFL's Week 1? Well, no (the return of RGIII is) and clearly, the best game is Packers-49ers, but it is one of those things that instantly jumps near the top.
*Happy retirement, Tracy McGrady. I never really appreciated him -- among prolific shot-jackers, I was more of appreciative of Iverson's game. I'm not sure if he is a Hall of Famer. He should have been a lock -- maybe that's the point.
Of course, McGrady is also responsible for arguably the most impressive flurry of scoring in a single game in the history of the league -- the legendary "13 in 35."
*Keith Olbermann's new show was, predictably, fun. (I'm a long-time Olbermann fan, so I was inclined to enjoy it.) Very heavy on "meta-media" coverage (not necessarily inappropriately, but you wonder how many fans care about the NY Daily News coverage of Rex Ryan, versus the basic idea that he made/didn't make the right choice with Sanchez). But points for a different kind of angle to a story that was worked over by Monday night.
(FWIW, 11 pm is a late start for me on a school night, but through the magic of the WatchESPN app, I was leaning back comfortably and able to enjoy the show. I love that app -- and it gets even more important/integral to my life when college football starts this weekend.)
-- D.S.
*Is Jeff Tuel -- with a leap unseen in the past half-century from undrafted rookie to Week 1 starting QB in Buffalo -- the best storyline of NFL's Week 1? Well, no (the return of RGIII is) and clearly, the best game is Packers-49ers, but it is one of those things that instantly jumps near the top.
*Happy retirement, Tracy McGrady. I never really appreciated him -- among prolific shot-jackers, I was more of appreciative of Iverson's game. I'm not sure if he is a Hall of Famer. He should have been a lock -- maybe that's the point.
Of course, McGrady is also responsible for arguably the most impressive flurry of scoring in a single game in the history of the league -- the legendary "13 in 35."
*Keith Olbermann's new show was, predictably, fun. (I'm a long-time Olbermann fan, so I was inclined to enjoy it.) Very heavy on "meta-media" coverage (not necessarily inappropriately, but you wonder how many fans care about the NY Daily News coverage of Rex Ryan, versus the basic idea that he made/didn't make the right choice with Sanchez). But points for a different kind of angle to a story that was worked over by Monday night.
(FWIW, 11 pm is a late start for me on a school night, but through the magic of the WatchESPN app, I was leaning back comfortably and able to enjoy the show. I love that app -- and it gets even more important/integral to my life when college football starts this weekend.)
-- D.S.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
8/25 (Sunday) Quickie
What I'm reading this morning: The NYT longread on ESPN's impact on college football.
There's a great phrase in there, about serving the "breakfast-to-bedtime fan" of college football. I recognized myself in that cohort, for sure, and that audience was certainly an aspiration of Quickish.
-- D.S.
There's a great phrase in there, about serving the "breakfast-to-bedtime fan" of college football. I recognized myself in that cohort, for sure, and that audience was certainly an aspiration of Quickish.
-- D.S.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
8/22 (What I'm Reading) Quickie
What I'm reading, last night and this morning:
*Mark Cuban analyzes Google's play for the NFL with the WSJ's Peter Kafka.
(Also, if Apple TV secures a la carte rights to ESPN isn't an extinction-level event for cable companies, but it changes the game in ways that are much bigger than anyone will predict.)
*Reuters' Jack Shafer (I'm a huge fan of his) totally mis-reads the "Grantland Model."
*Grantland's Bill Barnwell has a two-part piece on the myth of "momentum" in the NFL. It's excellent. Read Part 1 here and read Part 2 here.
*Wright Thompson writing longish on legendary Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable.
*Mark Cuban analyzes Google's play for the NFL with the WSJ's Peter Kafka.
(Also, if Apple TV secures a la carte rights to ESPN isn't an extinction-level event for cable companies, but it changes the game in ways that are much bigger than anyone will predict.)
*Reuters' Jack Shafer (I'm a huge fan of his) totally mis-reads the "Grantland Model."
*Grantland's Bill Barnwell has a two-part piece on the myth of "momentum" in the NFL. It's excellent. Read Part 1 here and read Part 2 here.
*Wright Thompson writing longish on legendary Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Wednesday 8/21 (Very) Quickie
Apologies for the light posting as I work with a team of my USA TODAY Sports Media Group colleagues to (imminently) launch the next evolution of Quickish, coming (very) soon...
There's one point I want to make about this Von Miller suspension that has been nagging at me:
He was suspended for six games. If he was a baseball player, that would be 60 games, a nearly unprecedented suspension.
In MLB circles, a 60-game suspension for one of the game's Top 5 players would be cause for a five-alarm freak-out -- we have pretty good evidence of that, with Ryan Braun.
In NFL circles, a suspension for nearly half the season of one of the best players in the sport -- arguably the best defensive player in the game -- is met with... well, not much.
There is a bit about how it will impact the Broncos' chances in those first six games -- and what implications that might have on their playoff chances (Super Bowl or bust, and all that).
But there is basically zero outrage, both relative to baseball and in an absolute sense. Is that because everyone ("everyone") basically accepts that pro football is powered at its core by PEDs?
As someone who sides with the group that finds the moralizing in baseball about PEDs to be wearying, hypocritical and counter-productive (see baseball's entire "Golden Age" fueled by something now banned as a PED -- amphetamines), it's so fascinating to me that a massive suspension to one of the NFL's biggest stars doesn't move the needle among the moralizing faction.
-- D.S.
There's one point I want to make about this Von Miller suspension that has been nagging at me:
He was suspended for six games. If he was a baseball player, that would be 60 games, a nearly unprecedented suspension.
In MLB circles, a 60-game suspension for one of the game's Top 5 players would be cause for a five-alarm freak-out -- we have pretty good evidence of that, with Ryan Braun.
In NFL circles, a suspension for nearly half the season of one of the best players in the sport -- arguably the best defensive player in the game -- is met with... well, not much.
There is a bit about how it will impact the Broncos' chances in those first six games -- and what implications that might have on their playoff chances (Super Bowl or bust, and all that).
But there is basically zero outrage, both relative to baseball and in an absolute sense. Is that because everyone ("everyone") basically accepts that pro football is powered at its core by PEDs?
As someone who sides with the group that finds the moralizing in baseball about PEDs to be wearying, hypocritical and counter-productive (see baseball's entire "Golden Age" fueled by something now banned as a PED -- amphetamines), it's so fascinating to me that a massive suspension to one of the NFL's biggest stars doesn't move the needle among the moralizing faction.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, August 06, 2013
8/6 (Tuesday) Quickie
More seriously than the previous post, I think that Jeff Bezos buying the Washington Post is great for the Post and its staffers, as great as the Grahams have been as stewards of the paper.
(Again, I grew up on the Post and will take on any/all comers in the barroom to argue that the Post's sports section in the 1980s was the finest newspaper sports section ever.)
Here are a handful of relatively brief takes on Bezos/WaPo that I read that found interesting (and, to be sure, mostly support my pro-Bezos thesis):
*MG Seigler, TechCrunch: While We're Trying to Follow His Game of Checkers, Jeff Bezos is Playing Chess
*Mike Moritz, Sequoia Capital (via LinkedIn): Stop the Presses: A New Press Lord Appears
*Henry Blodget, Business Insider: Here's Why I Think Jeff Bezos Bought the Washington Post
*Jeff Jarvis, BuzzMachine.com: Hot Off the Presses
*Mathew Ingram, PaidContent: Jeff Bezos Buys the Washington Post and the Media Industry Goes Back to the Future
*David Carr, New York Times: The Washington Post Reaches the End of the Graham Era
The key takeaways: (1) Bezos' commitment to customer relationships (which is a core part of journalism) is the most interesting dynamic... (2) the potential to leverage what Amazon knows/does in news... (3) removing the quarterly market pressures from the Post and taking the "long view" is a massive relief and ultimately a competitive advantage.
Yes, I continue to avoid the A-Rod story....
-- D.S.
(Again, I grew up on the Post and will take on any/all comers in the barroom to argue that the Post's sports section in the 1980s was the finest newspaper sports section ever.)
Here are a handful of relatively brief takes on Bezos/WaPo that I read that found interesting (and, to be sure, mostly support my pro-Bezos thesis):
*MG Seigler, TechCrunch: While We're Trying to Follow His Game of Checkers, Jeff Bezos is Playing Chess
*Mike Moritz, Sequoia Capital (via LinkedIn): Stop the Presses: A New Press Lord Appears
*Henry Blodget, Business Insider: Here's Why I Think Jeff Bezos Bought the Washington Post
*Jeff Jarvis, BuzzMachine.com: Hot Off the Presses
*Mathew Ingram, PaidContent: Jeff Bezos Buys the Washington Post and the Media Industry Goes Back to the Future
*David Carr, New York Times: The Washington Post Reaches the End of the Graham Era
The key takeaways: (1) Bezos' commitment to customer relationships (which is a core part of journalism) is the most interesting dynamic... (2) the potential to leverage what Amazon knows/does in news... (3) removing the quarterly market pressures from the Post and taking the "long view" is a massive relief and ultimately a competitive advantage.
Yes, I continue to avoid the A-Rod story....
-- D.S.
Monday, August 05, 2013
8/5 (Bezos) Quickie
Because I don't really want to talk about A-Rod and his suspension...
If I had an extra $250 million lying around like Jeff Bezos, I wouldn't buy the Washington Post (although I feel a connection to it as the paper I grew up reading). I would totally become the meddling majority owner of a sports team.
It's an interesting thing -- how to spend $250M all in one swoop -- because it forces you to really consider your priorities.
(I have to say that if I can throw off $250M on a whim, that presumes that I have already given a hefty chunk away to good causes.)
But, yeah: Sports team owner. As an instant reaction, that really does seem to be the pinnacle for me, for some reason. I'm sure with some thought, I could think of something more interesting, like owning basically whatever I wanted.
Oh, wait. With $250M, I would totally launch my long-sought-after professional football minor league and fill the insanely good opportunity between the NFL and college football.
But that's sort of like owning a sports team, right? Basically.
-- D.S.
If I had an extra $250 million lying around like Jeff Bezos, I wouldn't buy the Washington Post (although I feel a connection to it as the paper I grew up reading). I would totally become the meddling majority owner of a sports team.
It's an interesting thing -- how to spend $250M all in one swoop -- because it forces you to really consider your priorities.
(I have to say that if I can throw off $250M on a whim, that presumes that I have already given a hefty chunk away to good causes.)
But, yeah: Sports team owner. As an instant reaction, that really does seem to be the pinnacle for me, for some reason. I'm sure with some thought, I could think of something more interesting, like owning basically whatever I wanted.
Oh, wait. With $250M, I would totally launch my long-sought-after professional football minor league and fill the insanely good opportunity between the NFL and college football.
But that's sort of like owning a sports team, right? Basically.
-- D.S.
Thursday, August 01, 2013
8/1 (August Already?) Quickie
*Riley Cooper: LeSean McCoy is right.
*Alabama is No. 1: Does the rest of the poll matter? Heck yes, given that it influences who Alabama will play (hint: Anyone but Ohio State). The dominance by the SEC is the standard talking point. It is also a reminder that in this very month, we will see a match-up between two Top 10 teams, Georgia and Clemson, which is awesome.
*A-Rod: A lifetime ban is a fun, wacky idea. But let's assume they negotiate that down to the rest of this season and all of next season, which might as well be a lifetime ban, except for the Yankees, who will have to pay him all that remaining money.
*Buck Showalter: The whole "If the Yankees can dump A-Rod's salary, they will totally steal Matt Weiters from us in two years" thing was wildly refreshing in its candor. Is he wrong?
*John Wall: As a Wizards fan, I am totally comfortable giving him The Max. I think he ascends to all-NBA status within two years (standard caveats about avoiding injuries). Does a deal that big hamper the team's ability to sign other players to help him? Probably, if you're comparing it to Stephen Curry's bargain deal. And that's too bad. But the system is the system. Now go earn it, JW.
*Chip Kelly: He might downplay the "refs will slow-play the Eagles' offense" thing for now, but I'm betting that it is a huge problem. Frankly, it's a huge blow to the integrity of the league that it wouldn't ensure that refs work as quickly as any team wants to play. Why there would be a distinction between the refs having to play faster during the final two minutes than the rest of the game is ludicrous.
-- D.S.
*Alabama is No. 1: Does the rest of the poll matter? Heck yes, given that it influences who Alabama will play (hint: Anyone but Ohio State). The dominance by the SEC is the standard talking point. It is also a reminder that in this very month, we will see a match-up between two Top 10 teams, Georgia and Clemson, which is awesome.
*A-Rod: A lifetime ban is a fun, wacky idea. But let's assume they negotiate that down to the rest of this season and all of next season, which might as well be a lifetime ban, except for the Yankees, who will have to pay him all that remaining money.
*Buck Showalter: The whole "If the Yankees can dump A-Rod's salary, they will totally steal Matt Weiters from us in two years" thing was wildly refreshing in its candor. Is he wrong?
*John Wall: As a Wizards fan, I am totally comfortable giving him The Max. I think he ascends to all-NBA status within two years (standard caveats about avoiding injuries). Does a deal that big hamper the team's ability to sign other players to help him? Probably, if you're comparing it to Stephen Curry's bargain deal. And that's too bad. But the system is the system. Now go earn it, JW.
*Chip Kelly: He might downplay the "refs will slow-play the Eagles' offense" thing for now, but I'm betting that it is a huge problem. Frankly, it's a huge blow to the integrity of the league that it wouldn't ensure that refs work as quickly as any team wants to play. Why there would be a distinction between the refs having to play faster during the final two minutes than the rest of the game is ludicrous.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Best Thing I Read In July: Thompson on Manziel
Best thing I read in July comes swooping in at the buzzer: Wright Thompson on Johnny Manziel. Give it a read or Pocket it and save it for a read later. But definitely worth a read.
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